Residents say neighborhood schools are valuable

How much are Elm Grove property values dependent on the perception that its public school system is healthy?

Apparently, very dependent as perspectives differ.

During the public hearings this past fall leading to the School Board's decision to close Hillside Elementary in Brookfield at the end of this school year, discussion also included the possible future closing of Tonawanda, the only district elementary school located in the village.

"I'm very concerned with what the school district did and how it may well affect the quality of life here," said Mary Wacker, a current Brookfield resident who raised three daughters attending Tonawanda when she and her husband lived in Elm Grove for 20 years. "The school system has always been a main part of the community and the fact that the board is making cuts like this can only hurt."

Wacker and her husband downsized to a smaller residence in 2009 after a long selling process that began in 2007 and culminated in losing more than $100,000 from their village home's stated value.

"The economy over the past two to three years has been a big factor in how homes have sold throughout the area," she said, "but the fact that schools are now looking at downsizing and cutting really makes the market even worse."

She said younger families are looking at schools as a major factor for their moves and that what they won't be attracted to any district they think is going to eliminate their neighborhood school or cut quality out of the classrooms.

A longtime education activist, Wacker said she has worked with Superintendent Matt Gibson on a number of issues. She said they don't always see eye to eye, but she is afraid that the longtime district leader who plans to retire in June will leave a less than stellar legacy.

"I just hope that Matt's tenure is not defined by what has been lost," she said.

Gibson said he understands the upset over the district's move to address financial concerns in the wake of decreased state funding and lower enrollment from some neighborhoods. He contends, however, the district has made the moves to strengthen the educational system.

"The district and the board acts on what is the best for the system as a whole," Gibson said, noting that the criteria did not include closing multiple schools. "Closing a school takes a lot of thought, planning and input from residents. "The Elmbrook School District is very strong and does attract people to move to the area.

Gibson said he anticipates that the next superintendent will carry out the plans from this year and will continue to operate in a similar fashion.

Gibson also said there are no immediate plans to close Tonawanda, despite the possibilities raised during the Hillside discussions.

Village resident sees change

Betsy Haushalter hopes to see Tonawanda survive. The 30-year village resident whose children attended the neighborhood school spoke at public hearings for Hillside because she says she is concerned about any district cuts.

I don't like the fact that language was cut from elementary education," she said. "Elmbrook has always had a strong curriculum. That's one of the reasons why my husband and I moved to Elm Grove."

Haushalter also said there are positive signs when it comes to anticipating the need to maintain Tonawanda as the village's elementary school.

"We seem to have houses selling in our neighborhood," she said. "This past summer, we had a street party and there were a number of newer families and we counted 23 children who were 5 or younger. I hope that trend continues."

She said it

"There are economic studies stating that closing a neighborhood school may cut home values by up to 10 percent. Studies also show when a neighborhood school is closed, (the school) is no longer a key deciding factor in housing choices so some young families move or overlook the community all together."